Better for the environment may be better for City of Kelowna’s pocketbook

KELOWNA – By cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the City of Kelowna is hoping to get the province to pay back the entire $248,760 it paid on carbon taxes last year.

A report on energy use and greenhouse gas emissions that's going to city council on Monday, May 27, says 6,021 tonnes of carbon dioxide was produced by the City in 2018, which was down from the previous year and closer to 2013 levels.

That means it can apply for the carbon tax rebate.

Cutting emissions was helped buy a multitude of efforts. Those included 5.7 km of new “buffered” bike paths and 12.5 km of multi-use paths, transit improvements, planting trees and selling others at a discount to residents, the bike share program, buying electric cars and completing the program to convert streetlights to lower energy bulbs.

If the rebate is granted, that money will be set aside for future energy reduction projects.

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